


Ryan Haywood’s: How to Catch a Prince.

by Really_Lame_Fiction



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluffy, Gavin/Ryan centric, Kidnapper Ryan, Kind of Minecraft AU, M/M, Prince Gavin, but not that sad, kinda sad, king AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-09 09:49:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3245177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Really_Lame_Fiction/pseuds/Really_Lame_Fiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan Haywood wasn't a bad guy, he reasoned with himself. He just did bad things for money. Most of the people he killed were bad themselves anyway, it's not like anyone missed them. That is in till he was paid to kidnap the Prince of Achieveia. </p><p>Now he has to get the Prince across country without being caught by the two idiotic guards sent out to retrieve them.</p><p>Will the Prince be saved?<br/>Will the two idiotic guards live long enough to even attempt a rescue?<br/>Why is the 'villain' so ridiculously handsome?<br/>Find out the answers inside!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. CHAPTER ONE: A Prince of Gold and Green.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom long since forgotten, there was a man. He went by many names, and appeared in people’s stories with different faces, but really, his name was James Ryan Haywood. He was tall, with broad shoulders and had a square jaw dusted with light stubble. His hair was a light wavy brown, and just a little bit too long for his own liking. But what was the same in every story about Ryan Haywood were his eyes, a bright crisp blue like the ocean, a colour so captivating it stuck in the minds of those who saw him.

He was definitely a handsome man, that was for sure, but he was not known for that. Oh no, most certainly not. The only reason tales were told of Ryan Haywood’s appearance was so you knew who to stay clear of, and if you did see him just maybe you’d have time to escape. Ryan Haywood was known not for his attractive features, but for his tendency to cut down anyone who happened to cross his path.

These rumors were of course also wrong. Truth be told, Ryan Haywood was a man of business.  He killed on instruction, with the promise of a reward in gold. He did not raise his sword in sadism or a thirst for blood, that is, unless provoked. It was true that the man did enjoy his job, but he happened to have the philosophy that it was important for one to enjoy what they do for a living. He could not be blamed for the things he was paid to do, at least not in till death, where he would greet the gates of hell with open arms. Ryan Haywood knew who he was, and knew where he was destined to end up. What he did before that was up to him, knowing there was no redemption to what he had done, he relished in the freedom of sin.

That’s why he was in the small kingdom of Achievia, after all, making his way on foot through a particularly dense part of forest. A job was a job, no matter how much he dreaded the one in front of him. He eyed the tall grey wall with an annoyed scowl, making sure to keep out of sight amongst the vegetation around him. The Castle, home to the King of Achievia Geoffrey Ramsey. Within these walls held Ryan’s target, Prince Gavin Free, adopted son of the Ramsey family. Not much was known about the Prince, the boy coming from a distant land, causing him to speak with a twisted tongue. Accents were a rarity in their part of the world, and most thought those who spoke with them simply had some kind of speech impediment.

Ryan had not heard the Prince of Achievia talk himself, but assumed he would know it when he heard it. All Ryan had to identify the Prince with was his age, nineteen, and that he was usually dressed in shades of green. The last fact was practically useless information, Ryan had thought, knowing the colours of the House Ramsey were green, black, and gold anyway. The King himself was probably dressed in the same colour, his guards most likely similar.

Ryan waited quietly in the bushes, knowing his informant wouldn’t leave him waiting long. A week before Ryan had made the trip to the Kingdom, he had paid a spy to enter the castle and find out where the prince slept. He had also paid the boy to perform another task, but that part would come later.

“Mr Haywood.” Came a small, sniveling voice. Ryan wasn’t all that fond of his current spy, finding the boy to be both a coward and someone to be wary of. Ryan found people he paid to betray their own kingdom were usually untrustworthy, the irony always amusing him when the thought crossed his mind. “It’s me.” The man said again, Ryan not having replied to his earlier call.

“Yes I know it’s you Kerry, get over here.” Ryan hissed back, his patients already wearing thin. It was lucky Ryan had his reputation; there weren’t many people alive who knew his name and would still betray him with that knowledge. “What information do you have for me?” Ryan finally asked once the man appeared. Short, with just enough fat on his bones to show he ate well regularly.

“The Prince sleeps on the second floor.” Kerry explained, grinning sinisterly. Ryan tried not to grimace. “Over behind the court yard is where his window is, the guards rotate every 80 minutes. Every rotation causes a small two minute gap where there is no one in sight of the window.” Kerry explained, Ryan listening absently. He was already forming his plan, even as the boy continued to feed him information. “The Prince is of a skinny build. Wouldn’t be much for a man like you to handle.” Kerry finally finished, Ryan nodding his thanks. He untied the small brown bag of coins attached to his hip, put there to make his first payment to Kerry that much easier.

“Take that. You get the rest after phase two of my plan, understand?” Ryan spoke sternly, the man nodding quickly as he peeked into the bag full of gold. 

“Yes Mr, of course.” There was a pause, a slow realization on the boy’s face. “What IS phase two?”

It didn’t take long for Ryan to explain to the boy his plan, Kerry being a fine listener. Still, Ryan worried he’d manage to fuck it up. They parted ways, Kerry leaving to retrieve the things he’d need from where Ryan had left them. The man had already formulated a plan before actually arriving; only needing the details to pull it together. By night fall, both men were ready to execute phase  two of Ryan’s simple plan to kidnap the Prince of Achievia. It wasn’t like they’d be expecting something so painfully simple, for someone to do something so idiotic as kidnap the prince from inside the castle walls.

Well, Ryan hoped they wouldn’t be expecting it anyway.

Silently, Ryan began to scale the outer wall. It was lined with vines all along, made perfect for climbing. Ryan had on his usual attire of suit jacket, kilt, and boots. Obviously he wasn’t wearing his kilt traditionally, which would have been extremely drafty, and impractical. Ryan didn’t ever really see the need to wear anything special when doing a job, and he liked the notoriety that came with his trademark outfit.

Once he reached the top of the wall, Ryan carefully peered over it, seeing the guard stationed bellow Gavin’s window. Patiently, Ryan waited. If Kerry was right, which he’d better be if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders, than the guard’s rotation could only be minutes away, and Ryan would have to act fast if he wanted to cease the window of time he had.

And just like Kerry said, the guard seemed to snap to attention, causing Ryan to duck back behind the wall briefly before looking back over to see the man walking away, to begin the rotation. Quickly, without hesitation, Ryan jumped over the wall, landing without as much as a thud on the castle grounds. He crept forwards silently, dropping the items he had carried over the wall, one long piece of rope with a hook on the end, another shorter piece of rope, and a lengthy piece of fabric. He worked efficiently; putting the two smaller items in a small brown pouch he kept around his waist, and then leaned back with the long hooked piece of rope, aiming it towards the window before giving it one solid throw. It landed on its mark almost effortlessly, but it did cause a small clank. Ryan paused, worried it might have gotten the Prince’s attention, but after a pause it had obviously gone unnoticed.

Wasting no more time, Ryan quickly began scaling the wall with the rope. It was something he had done many times, and was just as easy as it usually was. The only worry was that if he was caught, it wouldn’t be a simple fight or couple nights in some easy to escape prison. Ryan had still brought his long sword, which was attached to his hip. Even if he wouldn’t win against the guards, he still would like to put up some kind of fight.

Finally, Ryan got to the window. He peeked inside, quickly spotting the Prince asleep on his bed, only a candle illuminating the room. Silently, Ryan pushed open the glass window, then, slowly, he pulled himself through it. He stood undetected in the room of the Prince, and Ryan couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. He pulled out the two other pieces of his plan, jumping on the bed and working to tie the Prince’s hands together.

Prince Gavin stirred from his sleep, unsure of what was going on for just enough time for Ryan to get his hands secured tightly. Gavin’s green eyes widened, and he opened his mouth widely, preparing to call for help when Ryan stuffed a piece of cloth in his mouth, using the longer piece of fabric to tie around his head to keep the Prince from spitting the gag out.

The boy thrashed, but like Kerry had said, he was lanky and thin, not a lot of muscle and couldn’t have weighed more than 100 pounds. Ryan was really going to have no trouble at all throwing the man over his shoulder, and climbing back over the walls to the forest. And he didn’t, it all went smoothly, except for when Ryan turned to give one last look at the castle, Gavin now on his feet being shoved in the direction of the forest. A guard was perched on the top of the wall, looking as balanced as if he was on the ground. He was dressed unusually compared to the other guard, who was wearing the House of Ramsey’s colours. This guard was in black, with shimmers of red. But most important to note was the bow he had in his hands, pulled back and aimed at Ryan.

Ryan moved with experience, pulling Gavin in front of his own body for protection. The boy stared wide eyed at the guard, the boy on the wall hesitating. He didn’t look much older than the Prince himself, maybe even younger, and Ryan knew a simple hostage was all he needed to keep the guard from attacking. Ryan might not have been much older, being only 23 himself, but he could recognize an inexperienced face.

The guard let them walk backwards all the way to the lip where the grass met forest, and in one swift turn Ryan grabbed Gavin, pulling the boy along as they began to run. Ryan could hear a shout from behind him, the guard on the wall finally unfreezing to get help. It wouldn’t be long at all before the horses would be on him, guards with swords ready.

Ryan smiled, spotting a horse ahead of him with Kerry beside it. Kerry was dressed in a black jacket, and a bright kilt matching Ryan’s own. Across the back of the horse was a black matt about the length of a person, rolled up. The boy spotted Ryan, acting fast and jumping up onto the horse, taking off in the direction the guards would spot him running away. It was important he was spotted, taking the guards on a wild goose chase while Ryan made his escape with Gavin.

In the distance, Ryan could hear the noise of the guards and their horses, and from what he could hear, they had taken the bait.

 

  
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It was a long chase, the leader of the group of guards being the one to take the man down. Michael Jones was his name, a young guard only 21 when he became the personal guard of the Prince, Gavin Free. He and the Prince were considered close friends, even before he swore to protect him with his life, and that was what drove Michael whilst chasing down the man who had kidnapped him, the anger and worry for his friend.

“I’ve got the kidnapper!” Michael growled to the guards behind him, as he wrestled to tie the criminal’s hands behind his back. “Make sure the Prince is alright!” He instructed quickly, hoping his friend had been uninjured.

A sadistic laughter is what brought Michael’s attention back to the man under him, and although the man’s face was buried in the dirt, the words he spoke next were heard clear as day by Michael. “You idiot. I’m just the decoy.”

Michael stood quickly, knowing there was no escape for the man on the ground with his hands bound tight. “Gavin? Is Gavin alright?” Michael barked, hands balling into fists as the other guards inspected what was thought to be Gavin. The blanket unfurled, and Michael’s breath hitched. It was just as empty as Michael had dreaded. Turning back to the man on the ground, who continued to laugh mockingly, Michael raised his leg, swinging his foot into the man’s head to silence him finally.

Michael brought the man to the King and Queen, who both were staying composed through what Michael could only assume, was quite the ordeal. Geoff himself was the one to demand information from the man, Kerry folding quickly, telling the King everything he knew about the man who kidnapped the Prince. Once he had spilled everything he could, Jack, the King’s personal guard, escorted Kerry to the castle’s dungeon to wait trial for his crimes. Michael had spat in his general direction, disgusted with the man’s smug smile as he was led away.  

“The guard who apparently saw this ‘Ryan Haywood’ character kidnapping my son, bring him forward.” Geoff demanded from his throne, hand gripping his wife’s own tightly.

Ray Narvaez Jr, the youngest guard to walk the castle, stepped forward. Only 18, Ray was known amongst the kingdom to have the greatest aim with a bow of any man or woman, often competing with the Prince himself, who was also quite fond of the bow and arrow. Ray was originally the son of a gardener who worked in the castle, the man bringing in his son from time to time. Ray and Gavin became close friends this way, Gavin not having a lot of people around his own age. Geoff also knew Ray well, and was quite fond of the boy, but was in no mood to play friends.

“Ray Narvaez Jr. You saw the man who took my son?”

Ray, who was small in size to begin with, seemed to shrink further under the King’s stern gaze. “Yes, my King.” He replied meekly, fearing the punishment that was sure to come after letting the kidnapper escape with Gavin.

“Which means you would be able to recognize him if you were to see him amongst a crowd of people, correct?” The King continued, the questing surprising Ray enough to make him look up.

He shifted uncomfortably for a moment, eyes flicking to Michael who stood at attention to the side. The three of them, Ray, Michael, and Prince Gavin, were all very good friends, and Ray couldn’t help turning to Michael for some kind of support. He wasn’t quite sure what the right answer was, or at least the answer the King wanted to hear, so Ray just answered with the truth, seeing as Michael gave no indication one way or the other.

“Yes, my King, I could.” He finally replied, his throat growing tight with worry.

Geoff stood up, walking down the small set of steps that lead to the throne and towards Ray. The small boy could feel his knee’s begin to grow weak, a tingling sensation like they might spontaneously turn to jelly. When the King finally stood in front of him, Ray feared they would. “Ray, you will accompany Michael on an expedition to retrieve my son.” Geoff told the boy in front of him, the words taking a moment to process in Ray’s mind.

“Excuse me?” Ray asked informally, the words slipping out on accident amidst his confusion.

“If I send a large party to save him, the whole kingdom will find out what happened. Then, rival kingdoms will get word. I can’t have that, some might take the opportunity to try and kidnap Gavin themselves, and others might see it as an opportunity to attack. Instead, I’ll send two of Gavin’s most trusted friends, both extremely talented in the weapon they wield. I trust you will both return my son, and your friend, safely.”

The King gave a hard look at both Michael, and then at Ray, the eldest of the two bowing deeply. “Yes, of course my King. We will leave at once.” Michael replied, without missing a beat, far more used to formal conversation.

Ray nodded furiously; finally feeling caught up to what was going on. “Yeah, of course. Of course we’ll get Gavin back.”

 

 


	2. CHAPTER TWO: A Simple Walk.

Once out into the forest, Ryan had kept a hard pace, wanting to put as much distance between himself and the castle as possible before he took time to rest. He had adjusted Gavin’s restraints at some point during the night so that his hands were tied in front of him instead of behind his back, allowing Ryan to grip the rope and tug him along. It was a system that worked well, that is, in till Ryan noticed the Prince stumbling, eyes unfocused. The gag was still in the boys mouth, to stop him from making noise as they made there get away.

Finally, Ryan stopped, the boy bumping into him at the sudden halt. It had been a few hours of continuous walking, and Ryan felt it was time for a break. It would be a hassle if the Prince couldn’t continue to walk on his own. Turning, Ryan reached to undo the material around the boys head. Gavin’s eyes widened at the action, the boy flinching as Ryan’s rough hands pulled it off.

Gavin let out a few harsh coughs, clearing his throat and for a moment even heaving. Ryan rolled his eyes. The boy was practically doubled over, obviously still catching his breath. Ryan scoffed, thinking the boy was obviously overreacting, and that the Prince had such a large nose anyway, he couldn’t imagine it being hard to breath out of.

“Bloody hell!” The boy wheezed, standing back up straight, looking Ryan in the eyes. Ryan raised an eyebrow quizzically, the Prince’s accent being just as ridiculous as he had been warned. “I couldn’t breathe in that thing!” Gavin complained, looking at Ryan in annoyance.

Ryan was actually taken back by the brashness of the Prince, the boy not seeming nearly as fearful of Ryan as Ryan himself thought he should be. “I’m your kidnapper; I don’t really care about making things comfortably for you, your highness.” Ryan said with just enough bite to it to hopefully scare the Prince into silence, his goofy accent already enough to make Ryan’s head ache.

“Yeah, I can tell, otherwise we wouldn’t be walking for Christ knows how long!” Gavin continued, like Ryan was just another castle hand. “Why couldn’t you at least kidnap me on a horse?” Gavin said with a huff, looking off into the forest.

Ryan was completely perplexed, never had he ever had to deal with someone too stupid to know that they should be scared. “Because, you idiot, a horse can be tracked. It’s easier to elude anyone who wants to rescue you on foot.” Ryan punctuated the statement by grabbing the rope around Gavin’s wrists and tugging him back into a walking pace.

The boy let out a yelp, a noise Ryan noted sounded absurdly like a bird. “Oi, you could warn a guy next time, yeah?” Gavin growled in that accent of his, and Ryan couldn’t help but wonder how the boy hadn’t been assassinated by someone yet.

“No.” Ryan growled, making the boy pout. He was in a kidnapping situation and still he was pouting like a child. Ryan continued his earlier walking pace, angrily looking out at the land in front of them. It was early morning, the sun just breaking over the horizon, and already Ryan could smell smoke in the air. The body’s of the nighttime monsters that didn’t make it underground in time, burning up under the rays of light.

The smell that morning at least was the sign Ryan had been waiting for. The sign it was time to have a break, they would stop for an hour or so, followed by a walk to a location Ryan had strategically left two horses. Hopefully they would still be there, but Ryan always had plan’s B to Z.

Gavin, who had been walking silently for a while now, even if his mouth was finally free, was staring absently at the back of his captor. The man was toned, it was clear even under all the clothing, and at least twice Gavin’s size. He may have only looked a little older, but Gavin wouldn’t have a chance in a fight. Maybe he could outrun the man if it was a sprint, but the other man would most likely have the advantage in long distance running.

 Gavin sighed quietly under his breath, feeling defeated before he even tried. He looked down at Ryan’s large hand, which gripped the rope between his wrists. There would be no wiggling out of a grip like that.

Suddenly, the man came to a pause. Gavin raised an eyebrow at the man as he seemed to tilt his head up and to the side, sniffing the air lightly. Subconsciously, Gavin did the same thing, and was instantly greeted with a nose full of what smelt like burning rotting meat. He gagged, doubling over between his outstretched arms as he felt himself heave. All he could do was cough and splutter as he adjusted to the putrid smell, trying not to vomit. Finally, he looked up to see his kidnapper, who was looking back at him with a blank expression. “That’s horrid. What is it?” Gavin finally managed to ask, letting out another gag.

Ryan said nothing for a moment; eye’s looking unfocusedly out at a line of smoke far off in the distance. “Monster’s that didn’t make it out of the sunlight.” Ryan mumbled, like he was saying it more to himself than anything else. It caught Gavin by surprise, and he found himself caught by the faraway look in the man’s eyes. “Now sit down already. We have a lot of walking to do today.”

 

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“My horse hates me.”

“Jesus Christ Ray your horse doesn’t hate you.”

Ray frowned to himself, glaring down at the horse. Ray had never ridden one before today, and his first experience wasn’t going well. His horse, a light chestnut brown stallion named Dirk, seemed to be going out of its way to run Ray under long hanging tree branches, and was definitely making the ride bumpier than it needed to be. Michael laughed, sitting atop his own horse, Hidalgo.

“Ease up on the reins, dude.” Michael coached with a chuckle, Ray doing as he was told.

They had been riding for a few hours now, conversation slow as the two were caught up in their own thoughts. Both boys were worried sick for their friend, and both were feeling a considerable amount of guilt. “How long do we head west for?” Ray found himself asking, mind elsewhere.

“Ah, probably another hour or so. Maybe. I’m not completely sure.” Michael looked sheepish, one hand coming up to scratch the back of his head absently.

Ray frowned even deeper if it was possible, turning to his friend sharply. “Wait, you don’t know?” He said, voice cracking half way through his question. Michael looked back at him defensively, sheepish expression melting away and being replaced by an irritated one.

“I’m not some goddamn tracker, ok!” Michael snapped at his friend, gripping the reins in his hands tightly. “We just keep heading the direction we know he went, and look out for clues.”

Ray snorted. “Clues? We’re detectives now, huh?”

“Shut up.” Michael managed out between a long sigh, eyes glued to the path in front of him. At this rate, they’d need a miracle to get Gavin home.

 

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Gavin groaned tiredly as he noticed his kidnapper getting up, the implications dawning quickly on his sore feet. “Not yet!” He whined, not at all ready to continue their walk. The man turned to him sharply, eyes glaring darkly. No words were spoken, but Gavin got the message. The man might have seemed reasonable, but he was still a stranger, a criminal, a man willing to sneak into his bedroom and steal him away for reasons Gavin didn’t know.

Pulling himself up, Gavin got a rush of dizziness. They had been walking with only a few breaks since he was snatched out of bed, and the fatigue was getting to him. “Can I have a drink?” Gavin asked in a quiet voice. He knew rescue was coming for him, but it was taking its sweet time.

The man threw him a pouch of water, not bothering to look at him. Gavin caught it on reflex, but made a startled yelp. The man had snorted at the noise, making Gavin pout. He took a sip of the small water pouch, more to just wet his mouth than actually quench any thirst. For a kidnapper, the man had been making sure he was drinking enough.

“Thanks.” Gavin mumbled, passing the water back. The man took it, slipped it back around his waist, and continued walking. He obviously wasn’t worried about Gavin running off anymore, knowing he’d be able to catch Gavin before he even came close to getting out of the forest. With a sigh, Gavin realized he was rather bored. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“Excuse me?”

Ryan had haltered in his walk, not expecting the question. “What’s your name? I mean you obviously know mine, hard not too really.” Gavin put on his most smug smile, happy with the huff of annoyance he managed to get in return.

“My name is Ryan.” Gavin blinked dumbly at the man, equally as caught off guard by an actual answer. He had thought he would receive the silent treatment at best.

“Really? I guess you kind of look like a Ryan.” Gavin said awkwardly, not really knowing what to say back. Ryan rolled his eyes, just hoping silently the answer would satisfy the Prince enough to keep him quiet just for a little while.

Of course it didn’t, and Gavin was even more inclined to keep badgering Ryan with the many questions he had tried out on his friends back at the castle. Quickly, with the new game of bothering Ryan to keep him occupied, night dawned on the two. Ryan, who had been ignoring Gavin in favor of thinking about shelter, already knew a spot to sleep.

“I mean which way is really up?”  Gavin continued to ponder out loud, Ryan finally having enough just as the sun began to peak behind the horizon.

“For the love of all that is holy shut up!” Ryan cursed, startling Gavin. The man had been actually humoring him for the first hour or so, not to mention it was the first time Ryan had raised his voice at all. “Look!” Ryan pointed just off into the distance. “That’s where we’re sleeping tonight.”

Gavin peered in the direction Ryan was jabbing his finger towards, spotting the place Ryan must have been speaking about. A large tree had fallen over top a deep groove in the ground, forming a shallow barrow. If it wasn’t for Ryan pointing it out, Gavin would have missed it. 

“We’re going to be sleeping there?” Gavin said in such horror he managed to get a chuckle out of the man beside him, a noise that made Gavin jump. He hadn’t seen the man smile, let alone laugh.

“Yeah, get comfy.”

And so Gavin did, as well as he could. It was hard to get that comfortable  when once again his arms were bound tightly behind his back, this time along with his feet. Apparently Ryan expected him to run off during the night, which in all honesty Gavin probably wouldn’t have done. He hadn’t been out of the city before, and knew of the creatures that lurked in the darkness, he was far too scared to leave his captor now.  

Turning to the side in their little burrow, Gavin wasn’t surprised to see Ryan’s back, the man already looking asleep. With a sigh, Gavin wiggled so he could just see the moon above the trees. It was glowing round and full, the stars around it looking just as bright. Gavin wasn’t sure he’d ever seen the night sky look so full, and somehow seeing it made him feel that much emptier on the inside.

He remembered looking at that same moon just two nights ago with his friends Michael and Ray. The three had snuck out into the castle’s garden, Ray’s favorite place to visit, late at night with arms full of snacks. They knew it was stupid and immature, but they did it anyway with grins on their faces. In the end Jack had caught them, but had promised not to tell. It had been a good night full of laugher and joy that most left behind in their childhood.

Gavin felt his chest tighten as he stared longingly at the moon, trying to force himself to sleep.

   
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Michael glared angrily at the moon, hands behind his head as he lay on the hard ground, nothing but a thin blanket to keep him warm. Ray was in a similar position beside him, only his face was scrunched in worry.

“We’ll find him, wont we?”

“Duh. It’s Gavin, he always fucking makes it out ok. Now go to sleep already.”

 

 

 

 


	3. CHAPTER THREE: The Man with Eyes like Ender.

Ray yawned as he was pleasantly woken by the sound of birds, all singing cheerily in the trees around him. If it wasn’t for the rocking, it would be the perfect morning.  Ray furrowed his brows. Someone was definitely rocking his shoulder, why would someone be doing that? With a groan, Ray blinked his eyes open only to see Michael’s face, the man appearing to be shushing him.

Sitting up with a start, Ray looked around wildly trying to figure out what was going on. “What is it?” Ray whispered to Michael, who was crouched beside him, sword in hand. That’s when Ray heard it, the rustling and talking in the bushes around them. “Bandits?” Ray sprang to his feet beside Michael, running to grab his bow which was sitting on the ground in the direction of the noise.

Before he could get to it however, a group of men emerged from the trees, making Ray pull back and abandon his weapon. The group of men paused as they locked eyes with Ray, who was too nervous to move. The man at the front of the pack laughed, the noise brining Ray back to his senses as he scrambled back to Michael.

“Look what we have here, boys.” The man said, hand going to his side to pull out a long silver sword. Not nearly as impressive as Michaels, a weapon forged in diamond. “Travelers who were kind enough to bring us gifts!” The other bandits laughed and jeered, Michael snarling as he counted just how many there were.

Ray was silent, stood behind Michael for safety. Without his bow he was useless, much to his own horror. Michael was also dealing with a sudden feeling of dread as he saw just how many men there were, 13 in total. A notoriously unlucky number, if Michael survived, he’d laugh at it later.

So focused on the leader, Michael was hardly ready to block as one of the men to the right leapt forward, the short sword he was brandishing slashing at the air wildly in till it finally made contact, the solid sound of metal hitting metal bouncing off the tree’s. Michael’s reflexes saved him from an early be-heading, but he was only fast enough to block, the man making more and more swipes and getting closer and closer, putting Michael at a disadvantage with his long-sword.

Ray, who had jumped back at the sudden attack, was far too focused on the fight in front of him to notice the rustling in the bushes behind him. Before he was able to pick up on the noise, two men emerged. One was tall and thin, a cloak covering them from head to toe and a hood to hide their face. The man beside them was even taller, looking like a giant from a fairy tale. He had a full auburn beard, a sturdy build, and huge axe in his hands.

Michael was obviously caught off guard by the duo, but so was the swordsman fighting him. Using the distraction, Michael had no problem pushing his sword forward and into the man’s stomach. So surprised by the action, the man wasn’t even able to let out a cry as he fell limply to the ground.

Assuming the two strangers were back up, the bandits all took a fighting stance. The leader was the first to charge into battle, crying out in anger as he swung his sword at the cloaked figure, who dodged it so effortlessly and gracefully Ray could have sworn they looked like a ghost. Ray didn’t see what they did next, but with a slight flick of their wrist the man was on the ground, blood flowing freely from his throat. It didn’t take more than a second for the other bandits to turn tale and run, the large bearded man not even needing to swing his axe once.

 Michael hadn’t dropped his fighting stance at the strangers, moving quickly to stand between them and Ray. “Ok who are you then?” Michael hissed, eyes dark.

The two strangers were currently standing down, the bearded man looking at Michael like he was an ungrateful child. Ray held up his hand in front of Michael, feeling the need to intervene before his hot headed friend caused a scene. “Relax.” He mumbled to Michael in attempt to get him to at least lower his sword a fraction. “We should be thanking these two.” Ray continued, taking the time to give the two strangers a deep bow.

“My name is Ray Narvaez Jr. from the kingdom of Achievia. I honestly can’t thank you both enough for saving us.” Ray holds out his hand nervously, the smile on his face wavering as the bearded man stared down at the offered appendage.

Then, the bearded man smiled, wide and genuine, returning Ray’s hand shake with much enthusiasm. “A plessure to meet you Ray of Achievia. I’m Adam, and this here is Joel. We’re both wonderers in these parts.” The man, Adam, seemed to nudge the hooded man beside him, causing him to sigh and pull down his hood.

Ray could feel his breath hitch as he stared at the man’s eyes, a bright purple in colour.

“Yeah, I’m Joel.” The man said absently, trying to avoid eye contact.

Interrupting whatever moment was going on, Michael scoffed, putting his sword back in its sheath and folding his arms across his chest. “Look, we’re both very grateful.  But we must be moving on. Official business.” The red head quipped, turning on the heel of his foot to walk over to the horses who were both startled, still tied to a tree.

Joel shrugged, turning to also walk away, but was stopped by Adam grabbing his arm. “Look, that wasn’t an isolated incident. There are bandits all through these forests.” Adam started, voice low. “You two are inexperienced travelers. Please let us escort you back to Achievia.” Adam’s face was contorted in worry, making Joel sigh. The large bearded man had always had a soft heart, much to Joel’s frustration.

“We’re not going back there.” Ray replied, as Michael ignored the men. “We’re….um….we’re tracking.” Ray said lamely, knowing that their poor attempt at finding Gavin couldn’t very well be called tracking.

“Tracking what?” Joel suddenly asked, looking curious for the first time down at Ray, who shrunk under the gaze.

Ray looked uncomfortable. “Two men. One is wanted for kidnapping, the other the victim.” Ray said replied, not telling the complete truth. He knew he couldn’t mention who had been kidnapped; it would definitely result in a disaster.

Adam seemed to shoot Joel a look, one the other man read straight away. With a groan, Joel shook his head. “Fine, Adam.” Joel growled, making Ray wonder what silent conversation he had missed.

“We’ll help you.” Adam grinned, bowing politely. Michael turned from where he was calming the horses, face a glare.

Storming back over to the two men, Michael stood just a step in front of Ray. “We don’t need your help.” He hissed, Adam looking like he could laugh.

“Joel and I are experienced trackers. Our loyalty lies with no kingdom in particular.” Adam tried to convince Michael, the bearded man knowing if their help was not accepted, the two would surely die in the forest.

 Before Michael could shout obscenities at either of the men, Ray silenced him with his hand. “You can help us.” Ray accepted, knowing that without their assistance he and Michael may never find Gavin.

Joel looked disappointedly off to the side, Ray finding himself staring at his eyes again. Adam smiled softly, nodding his head politely. “Glad we can be of assistance.” He replied, Michael looking angry enough at Ray to explode.

It was definitely going to be an interesting journey indeed.


End file.
